The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1887-04-27
NAMES NEW LIQUOR LAW.
A Statute Regarded as Tyrannical and as
Putting a Premium on Corruption.

Putting a Premium on Corruption.
Portland Letter in New York Times.l
The amended LIQUOR law goes into effect
tomorrow, and the druggists, the hotel
men, and the saloon keepers are in a guam
dary as to what they will do about it. The
clause in the law which troubles them is
the following: The payment OF the
United States special tax, as a liquor
seller, or notice of any kind in any place
of resort, indicating that intoxicating Ii
quors are there sold, kept, or given away
unlawfully, shall be held to be prima facie
evidence that the person or persons paying
said tax, and the party or parties display
ing said notices, are common sellers OF in
toxicatiDg liquors, and the premises so
kept by them common nulsances."
What is to be done no one knows. Each
dealer in the liquor business is wait ing to
see what his neighbor will do. AT the
present time there are 1,1S0 persons in
Maine who take out United States liquor
licenses-170 CT them are in Portland and
160 in Bangor. These licenses do not ex-
piIe until the LIST of May, but the probib-
itory party people intend, so they say to
make move all along the line on Monday
and ascertain who have licenses. The
opinion is that no liquor will be sold by
any reputable dealer after Monday.
Governor Bodweu says he shall do all in
his power to help enforce the new liquor
| law. 1uc ItoulI VIII UC bAC A4QOOA
| business in Maine will, as has been the
case before, be driven INTO dives and into
| club-rooms. Deputy Collector Cromwell,
| of this city, informs me that no applica-
tons have been made for United States
licenses as is usual at this time of the year,
and he states that Jealous Prohibihonists
| daily inquire OF him if the liquor dealers
are applying for Licenses as has been the
custom. His only answer to these in
ouiries is: eff any one asks you, you tell
| them you don't know"
Prominent Republicans of this city are
emphatic in their denunciations of the
new law. They pronounce 1t absurd, I'M
reasonable and tyrannical, and further say
| that, If it is enforced, when another Maine
election occurs it will be as much of Wat
erloo to the Republicans as was the late
contest In Rhode Island. 1t is q well
! known fact that the Republicans of this
city carried the last municipal election
here by promising the liquor dealers that
there should be no further temperance leg
islation. Now the druggists and hotel men
say the Republicans made the word OF
promise to the ear and broke it to the
hope. 1t is well understood that Governor
Bodwell was opposed to any further tenn
/ peraDce legislation, and he so stated in his
message. But he did not have the moral
courage 10 veto the bill. The pressure
brought to bear upon HIM by Blaine,
/ OlURltN anu JULIET hCHuOAACdu as
all powerful, and he signed the bill which
is now denounced by nine-tenths OF the
rank and file of his party throughout the
State.
In an attempt to make bid for the st.
John votes in Maine and throughout the
country Blaine and the other Republican
leaders, to use one of Scion Chase's rough
! but expressive phrases, have "bitten of
| more than they can chew" The passage
of the bill, however, has had one effect
| that will be far reaching in its conse-
quences. 1t has opened the eyes of hun
dreds of Republicans to the hypocrisy Of
their party leaders, and many of the voters
are in open revolt. A prominent Repub-
lican of this city said. Yesterday: II am
disguised with Blaine and with his man
Friday, Bodwell, and / believe that If an
| election was to be held tomorrow Maine
would go Democratic.
This opinion is substantially the same as
that expressed by hundreds of Others In
the State. A law which is so tyrannlcAl
that it will not allow druggist to sell a
pint of brandy, nor to benefit person who
lies at the point of death, should be de-
nounced, and will be by every person of
common sense. What will be the result?
| 1t is predicted that the law is so severe that
it will become a dead letter, and that this
was the result anticipated by the Repub-
licsn leaders when the bill was passed
luIOuku lnc LcSlSldluICs II lnC law 40
strictly enforced, then summer tour
lists who visit the State will either
be obliged to bring liquors with
them or forego their use. There is a class
of men who desire to have the law enforced
in letter and spirit, and that is the class
who will violate almost any law in order to
accumulate money. One OF those men a
few days ago said that if the present law
were enforced it would be Thousands OF
dollars in his pocket. "Why," said he, 81
can then dispose of liquor which will not
cost me over 81. 25 gallon for almost any
price l may ask for it. 1 have men who
will carry il about in TASKS and sell 1t from
their pockets. can fill private orders and
have 10 competition from hotel men OF
druggists"
There are those who think that the law
can be evaded by importing liquors in the
original packages. The trouble with this IS
that when package is once broken and 8
person begins to sell by the bottle he then
becomes a retailer and amenable to the law.
The new liquor law is the talk of the State
and people are anxiously waiting to as
certain what its effect will be. 1t is queer
state of things when a man like Blaine, as
sisted by few others, has a State in such
an IRON grasp that such q law can be
placed on the statute books. But there
are signs of better times. The Repub
licans of Maine have too long beer
under the Blaine yoke. and at las
ii has become very hard to bear. 1t is the
last straw that breaks the camePs back
The new LIQUOR law is an odious one, anC
the leading men of the State believe it will
result in corruption and perjury to 8
greater extent than ever before. The new
law gives increased power to the prosecut
ing officers and adds much to their power
which can be used for purposes other thar
the best interests of citizenship.
Same 0f tho hest le0Ql minds in the Stat
believe that the new law, so far as thu
prima facie clause is concerned, is uncon
stitutional and will be so declared.